1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a compressor, and a method of connecting a pipe to the compressor and, more particularly, to a compressor, and a method of connecting a refrigerant pipe to a pipe coupling port of the compressor.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2000-0075129 and 10-1999-0064248, compressors for refrigeration systems, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, include a drive motor unit, a compression unit, an exhaust muffler, an exhaust pipe, a suction muffler, and a suction pipe. The drive motor unit generates a rotating force, while the compression unit has a compression chamber to compress refrigerant by use of the rotating force of the drive motor unit. The exhaust muffler reduces operational noise of the compressor which may be caused by exhaust pulses generated when the compressed refrigerant under high pressure is discharged from the compression chamber. The exhaust pipe is connected to an exhaust port provided at the exhaust muffler so as to form an exhaust path for the compressed refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The suction muffler reduces the operational noise of the compressor, caused by suction pulses generated when the refrigerant is sucked into the compression chamber. The suction pipe is connected to a suction port provided at the suction muffler, thus forming a suction path for the refrigerant sucked into the compressor. In the compressor, the suction pipe and the exhaust pipe form refrigerant paths to guide the refrigerant into and from the compressor. There have been proposed some compressors having one or more additional refrigerant pipes, in addition to the above-mentioned suction pipe and exhaust pipe, as disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2001-0011835 which was filed by the inventor of the present invention.
In the conventional compressors, the refrigerant pipes, including the suction pipe, exhaust pipe and the additional refrigerant pipes, must be fluid-tightly mounted to pipe coupling ports of the compressor through a welding process so as to accomplish a sealing effect at junctions of the pipes and the pipe coupling ports, as disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-1998-0026610. However, due to the welding process, a process of connecting the refrigerant pipes to the pipe coupling ports of the compressor is undesirably complicated, and a pipe connection cost is increased. Furthermore, the welded junctions of the pipes and the pipe coupling ports may be reduced in strength thereof, due to severe welding conditions, such as thermal stress generated in the welded junctions during the welding process. Therefore, the welded junctions of the pipes and the pipe coupling ports may be broken to lose desired sealing effect thereof.